E-mail, Feeds, 'n' Stuff

Monday, August 29, 2011

State says Portland schools broke law in bond measure campaign

Back in April, we questioned whether the Portland public school district was campaigning on the public dime for the school tax bond measure, which ultimately failed. Today we learn that the Oregon Secretary of State has found that school board employees did indeed violate state law by engaging in such campaigning.

A reader who filed a complaint in the matter has sent us copies of 11 notices he says he has received from the Secretary of State, each of which finds that a school district employee violated state law by engaging in improper advocacy for the bond measure. The 11 employees range from Superintendent Carole Smith all the way down to three lowly clerical types.

But get this: For the eight top honchos, the proposed fine is $75 each, and for the three clerical types, the proposed fine is zero.

This points out the silliness of the whole process. These folks undoubtedly knew, or at least strongly suspected, that they were violating the law when they did it (we all knew didn't we?). The timing of the procedure and the possible penalties were completely ineffective in preventing the unlawful conduct. These public servants could, and likely did, knowingly violate the law for the purpose of promoting the measure, and suffer virtually no consequences afterward. This happens with disturbing regularity. Time for the law to change.

And lawyers who know me personally wonder why I have such a disdain for the criminal justice system in this land. This is just another perfect example of how justice is not equally administered and is in fact a joke if you have enough money or the right connections. Bah!

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 113
At this date last year: 155
Total run in 2016: 155
In 2015: 271
In 2014: 401
In 2013: 257
In 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269